474 



GLEANl^'GS IN BEE CULTIJKE. 



June 



tliem all myself, and 111 bet a dollar that 

 you couldn't find a better patch than these 

 anywhere. Well, they were just grow- 

 ing nice," continued Frank, as the other 

 boys started on, listening in silence. ''I 

 also had a patch of mushmelons right near 

 by. I watched them day by day. Three or 

 four days ago I was looking at the patch, 

 and 1 found one great big melon that I said 

 to myself would be ripe in a little while, for 

 I had been thumping it every once in a little 

 while, to see whether it was fit to pull. 

 Well, this morning, when I went out to pick 

 it, the melon was gone. Then theie were 

 two or three of my mushmelons that were 

 not ripe yet, and these were likewise miss- 

 ing. Then the scamp, whoever he was, not 

 contented with that, had gone and plugged 

 half the other melons. Of course, they 

 were not ripe, and now they will rot on my 

 hands. I tell you, 1 iras mad. My mouth 

 was all ready for a good watermelon, and I 

 knew it woiild be nice, crisp, and cool." 



" So you think it was Jake, do you?" said 

 Sam. 



" That is just what I think," said Frank. 

 " It was either Jake or one of his old 

 chums." 



"What makes you think it was JakeV" 

 said Jimmy. 



'• Why, the other day I saw him looking 

 over on tliat patch." 



'' What are you going to do about it, any- 

 how?" said Siin. 



"Iw'ill tell you," said Frank, looking all 

 around cautiously, to see if anybody was 

 within hearing ; " you know Jake lives 

 neighbor to me. Well, he and the rest of 

 his click are gcing to have a rooster-fight in 

 his l)arn to-night after school. I got an ink- 

 ling from one of the boys, who told me about 

 it. I will mau'/ige to get home somehow 

 from school before any one else, and then I 

 will secrete myself somewhere around the 

 barn, so I can see all that is going on, and 

 hear what Jake and his click have to say 

 about their rampage last night. They must 

 have been on a regular tear, for I have 

 heard enough to satisfy me; and when I 

 have a nice opportunity to slip away, I will 

 meet you two l);)ys at your workshop, and 

 report." 



" Won't that be fun?" said the two boys. 

 "We will know for sure to-night, won't 

 we?" 



At this juncture the school-bell rang; and 

 as the boys were at a considerable distance 

 from school they had to run in order to get 

 there in time. After school was out, 

 Frank gave a knowing wink to Sam and Jim- 

 my, and then proceeded around by the back 

 way. AVhen out of sight of tlie school- 

 children, he started off on an easy rim. He 

 socm got down to Jake's father's barn, and 

 liastily slipped himself down between the 

 hay and the side of one of the stables. Aft- 

 er working and twisting he finally got him- 

 self so that his eyes were just on a level 

 with a crack. He discovered the two coops 

 with the game roosters in, and with which 

 Jake and his companions were going to have 

 their cruel sport. He did not have to wait 

 long before he heard swearing and cjarse 



talk. Jake led the way. " Come on, boys!" 

 said he; " see what I've got here." 



Frank, in his hidden retreat, immediately 

 recognized some of his own property, but he 

 kept quiet. 



" My! where did you get that melon?" re- 

 marked one of Jake's companions. 



"Hush! don't talk so loud; don't you 

 know nothin'?" 



"My! that's a fine erne," continued his 

 comyjanion ; " say! where did ye get it?'' 



" Why, last night me and Jack stole over 

 to Frank's back yard, and we just very nat- 

 urally laid hands on these things. Don't 

 you ever tell, now." 



" No, I won't if you give me a good big 

 slice out of it.'' 



" Now, if you will keep quiet," Jake con- 

 tinued, " I will tell you something else. 

 After I got these melons last night I 

 thought it would be mighty nice to take the 

 conceit out of Jimmy and Sam ; so about 

 ten o'clock last night 1 went to Mr. Green's. 

 On my way I picked up by the creek some 

 pretty good-sized stones — some as big as 

 your "fist. Tliese I hurled with all my might 

 at the windmill, and if I didn't make 

 things rattle! I expected the boys would be 

 awful mad this morning, but for some rea- 

 son or nuther nothin' seems to have hap- 

 pened." 



Jake's companions munched away at the 

 melon, and complimented him on his bold- 

 ness. After the crowd had finished eating 

 their stolen fruit they commenced tlieir cru- 

 el fun of rcoster-fighting, and took out some 

 old dirty pipes and proceeded to smoke. 

 This was not at all pleasant for Frank, 

 brought up, as he had been, unaccustomed 

 to such doings ; and just as soon as a favor- 

 able opportunity presented he slipped up on 

 to the haymow and jumped out of the door 

 on the opposite side of the barn, and got 

 home without any one knowing that nis 

 eyes and ears h;ul taken in the situation. 

 After supper that evening he hurried up 

 to the bee-hive factory, where he found the 

 two proprietors anxiously waiting. Frank 

 then related the whole conversation which 

 he heard in his hiding-place. 



"I just knew it was Jake," said Jimmy, 

 after Frank had finished his story; "but 

 now we know for sure. I tell you, 1 will 

 give it to Jake to-morrow ; if he doesn't go 

 home with some black eyes, I am mistak- 

 en." 



" Yes," said Sam ; " and if his crowd back 

 him up, we two will set in " 



" Well, well, well," said Mr. Green, as his 

 head popped up suddenly from the barn 

 stairway into the workshop ; " are you hav- 

 ing a council of war?" 



To tell the truth, the boys would rather 

 have seen some one else at just this mo- 

 ment. The latter, having now and then 

 caught a word sulflcient to make him be- 

 lieve something was brewing, had cau- 

 tiously slip])ed up the stairway and heard 

 the boys' conversation. 



"Now, boys,"' said Mr. Green, "I fully 

 understand y()Ur situation. I have seen a 

 great deal more of the world than any of 

 you. I understand that you are going to 

 have revenge on the one who has been giy- 



